Does the provision of cooled filtered water in secondary school cafeterias increase water drinking and decrease the...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Promotion
• Nutrition Education

Background:

• Secondary school students frequently exhibit inadequate water consumption, impacting health and academic performance.
• Dehydration in schools is a significant concern for student well-being and cognitive function.
• Existing water provisions in schools are often perceived as insufficient by students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of health promotion and free cooled filtered water on student water and soft drink consumption.
• To understand student perspectives on the availability and quality of drinking water in schools.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study involving three secondary schools over three months.
• Intervention group received cooled filtered water with active promotion (W+P).
• A second group received only water (W), and a control group (C) participated in focus groups.

Main Results:

• Water consumption significantly increased in the 'Water + Promotion' group compared to 'Water only' and control groups (P=0.05).
• No significant change in soft drink purchases was observed across all schools during the intervention.
• Student focus groups highlighted dissatisfaction with current water facilities and a desire for improved access to cooled, filtered water.

Conclusions:

• Active promotion and provision of cooled filtered water effectively boost water intake among secondary school students.
• The findings suggest a viable strategy for improving student hydration and health in educational settings.
• Further research and project development are recommended to build upon these positive results.